The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-16
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Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, April 1.-The most inn
portant event of the past week at the
Capital was the meeting and organiZa-
ton of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, and its entrance upon duty.
Everything wears look of activity at
tie temporary headquarters of the new
court, which consist of a suit of rooms
in a building on i street. Messengers
are running to and fro all day long,
and the antC-room is filled with crowd
of people anxious to interview the new
officials.
The latter are having all the trouble
that was predicted would be theirs. and
that belongs to every official who has
the making of an appointment. They
are besjeged with letters and personal
applications for Office from every state
in the Union. The first discussion of
the commissioners over that intricate
piece of legislation which they are
called upon to interpret, referred to the
Long and Short Haul clause. Judge
Cooley, the president of the Commits
sion, who is Republican, is admitted
by the other members to know more
about law and railroad matters than all
of them put together. Therefore there
was no contest over his election to the
craftsmanship.
The National Drill committe is now
very busy. The entries have all been
closed, and now the work of scheduling
is being pushed as fast as possible. Be-
sides the commands enteredx regiments,
battalions, batteries of arplery. cadet
corps zouaye companieahnd large
number of band and drkm corps, the
number of individual competitors is
estimated at about l60, and many more
will contest in the rifle practice.
The committee OF arrangements is
very sanguine that the coming show
will eclipse anything of the kind that
has ever occurred in this country, and
as TO the telegram from Montgomery,
Ala, in regard to the color line ques-
ton, they think it is exaggerated, and
that il will be overcome in time. Mr.
De Leon, the secretary of the Drill
committee, is OF the opinion that out
side of Washington there is not col
ored military company which can raise
enough money To make the extensive
trip, and if they can do that, it would
be difficult to pass inspection.
Some weeks ago there were conject-
ures as to the disposition OF entries
known to come from colored militia
companies, many persons intimating
that if they were allowed to compete, it
would have tendency to keep out
many of the white organizations. Al
that time the manager said that all en-
tries received i'm proper form, duly
signed and recorded, should receive the
same attention. and that IL the Capital
City Guards, of Washington, filed the
requirements, they could compete just
the same as the famous Chickasaw
| Guards.
A national drill could not make q
color requirement when the laws Of the
country say otherwise. The sequel OF
| the news from Alabama That the Greys
and the True Blues would Withdraw
! from the drill because of the entry OF
three colored companies, has vet 10 bt
unraveled, but the hope is expressed a,
headquarters that common sense viii
prevail among the competing southern
militia.
The promotion of Messrs. FairchilG
and Maynard TO be secretary and MS
sistant secretary of the treasury, wa:
received with expressions Of satisfac
tion from the employees of the depart
ment. More than a thousand of theil
subordinates called To express congrat
ulations and flowers. notes and tele
grams of congratulation have poured
in. Mr.. Fairchild, who has never beer
an active politician, is exceedingly pop
lular with those under him. He is very
accessible too. He makes habit o
keeping the door of his Office open a
all hours of the day. and sits with hi
face toward it.
There is constant complaint from th'
sight-seers who are always hurryinl
around Washington by the thousand
that the government departments ar,
closed TO visitors after two o'clock p. IN
1t is perfectly proper To exclude nj
lcallers during business hours, but non,
OF the clerks are interfered with b,
mere sight-seers. 1t is n serious incon
venience and disappointment some
times tn strangers who are here onl,
for few days, and are trying To see a
much as possible In that time, to b
shut out so early in the day from man.
places Of interest.